Score: 260
July-Sep 2018
I started with Kaplan, coz didn’t know about boards and beyond back then. Now I would suggest doing boards and beyond and Kaplan only for Biochem (Dr. Turco) and Neuroanat (Dr. White). For Micro and Pharm, Sketchy is really gold, nothing will make you remember things as easier as sketchy. But yeah you do need to revise it a few times. I read whole FA system-wise with the videos to get used to it. Did Pathoma for Path.
Oct-Dec 2018
Now was the time for UW, started it system wise and timed tutor. Take your time with it and be sure to “understand” what the question is asking and how you reached the answer. Make concise notes in your FA with this. I read a system from FA in about a day, and then started UW for that system. And while doing questions again opend up FA, read the topic related to the Q and wrote down the imp information from UW. This took me around 3 months. If you don’t understand anything just search it in google by writing “usmle step 1” at the end or see a youtube video.
Jan-March 2019
Stared with NBMEs and did UW for the second time in random timed mode, giving 3-4 blocks back to back to build stamina. After each NBME it is important to give time to know your mistakes, write them down and analyze your weakness, to know if there is a problem in memorization, Q solving or understanding a concept. Target small increase in your score for your next NBME rather than big jumps. It is easier to achieve them and will also motivate you to work hard for the next. Also practice for 8 hours twice or thrice by merging nbmes with UW. During it take breaks as you would do on exam day.
Some advice from my experience of this journey:
· In the beginning you are gonna be slow, won’t understand a lot of things and feel like you don’t remember anything, but the most important thing in this journey is “consistency.”
· I want you all to know that it is going to be a tough road, be prepared to face your worst and for us IMGs it is an agonizing journey. But if you stay consistent it will pay off in the end.
· Always strive for improvement and ultimately, you’ll reach excellence. Have small goals and celebrate that achievement rather than thinking about the big targets.
· TAKE BREAKS. This is something I did not do and I regret it. Taking small breaks will help you keep going forward. I thought I did not need one, and in the end I was really burnt out, so much so that I had to take a “15 day-no books-no usmle” break in Jan to get back on track.
